Self-closing cover for inkstands



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

I..W. HEYSINGER. SELF CLOSING COVER FOR INKSTANDS, 6w.

Patented June 4,, 1889 WIT SSES: V I NVENTORv (fiat,

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

I. W. HB YSINGER. SELF CLOSING COVER FOR INKSTANDS, &c.

No. 404,539. Patented June 4, 1889* N. PETERS Pholo-Lilhcgnpher, Wahlngkm. D: C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ISAAC IV. IIEYSINGER, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

SELF-CLOSING COVER FOR INKSTANDS,

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 404,539, dated June 4, 1889.

Application filed June 1d, 1888- Serial No. 277,329. (No model.)

To aZZ whom, it may concern..-

Be it known that I, ISAAC W. HEYSINGER, of Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Self-Closing Covers for Inkstands, &c., of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the drawings accompanying and which form a part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is a vertical section, from front to rear, through an inkstand-cover and ink-well embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is atop view of a horizontal section along the dotted line a: 00 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section through the selfclosing cover, as shown in the dotted lines y y of Fig. 1. Fig. 4: is a vertical section through the valve and its supporting-tube. Fig. 5 shows the means of attaching the slotted metal tube to the top of the glass valve. Fig. 6 is an end and 6 a side view of the slotted tube, showing the spring-finger which engages with a notch upon the face of the valve. Fig. 7 is a modification of Fig. 1, in which the ink-well and cover are square in crosssection, and in which the shoulder upon which the cover rests is provided with an internal instead of external lip or flange. Fig. 8 is a horizontal section along the dotted line a: as of Fig. 7. Fig. 9 shows the supports of the valve when the split or slotted tube is prolonged, as shown in Fig. 5, and the ends thereof serve as pins to support the valve in bearings in the hood or cover. Fig. 10 shows my invention as a self-feeding inkstand, in which the ink-well is supplied with ink from a lateral reservoir through an orifice at the bottom, forming a communicating passage between the lower part-s of the ink-well and the pneumatic reservoir, as air gradually finds its way from the ink-well, as the level is reduced below the upper margin. of the passage in said ink-well, the same being provided with my self-closing cover, adapted to give access thereto, and supplying ink to pens fro m a surface at a fixed height relatively to said cover; and Fig. 11 shows my hood or cover elongated from side to side and provided with multiple valves, each opening into a separate ink-well in the base.

The lettering in all the figures is uniform.

My invention relates to an inkstand-coven:

and inkstand or the like for use upon desks, &c., in which cover is supported a rearwardlyswinging valve pivoted above and closing against lateral flanges, said cover open in front to give access to said valve, which closes automatically when the pressure of a pen is removed therefrom; and my present invention is an improvement upon the patented inkstand for which I received Letters Patent of the United States No. 807,764, and bearing date November 11, 1 884.

The improvements which form the subjectmatter of my present invention consist in making my inkstand of glass and providing the same with an ink-well having a raised lip around the same and a separate hooded cover of metal, having shoulders around its bottom and an external downward lip surrounding the said lip of said ink-well and secured thereto, so that the tendency to split the inkwell from expansion of the metal cover is avoided; also, in making my self-elosin g cover circular at the bottom to fit a cylindrical inkwell and tapered and expanded above to form the surface of an ink-well and tapered forward and upward from behind to a broad transverse apex in front, in which over the front opening is suspended the 'rearwardlyswinging valve; also,in forming said hood in a single piece ready for the valve, and in having the pivot which supports the valve project laterally through the side of the hood to enable the same to be readily removed, if necessary, and in a split or slotted tube or metal margin for the glass valve to form a support for the same; in the construction of a selfelosing cover with an ink-well having laterally-connected pneumatic reservoir to maintain a uniform level of the ink-surface in said well in an inkstand having multiple inkwells therein and a hooded cover elongated to cover the same having openings in front corresponding to said ink-wells, each provided with a self-closing valve; in the construction of a metallic cover for an ink-well having an open front, a bottom adapted to be fitted to said ink-well open beneath, a selfclosing valve extended downward within said ink-well, and a sloping bottom beneath said open front leadin g down to the bottom of said valve, and flanged sides within said open front; in a hollow hood open beneath and in front and having side flanges and downwardly sloped bottom and swinging valve closing against said flanges and the rear face of said sloped bottom, said valve supported upon pivots over the body of said ink-well and relatively near the middle of the same; in the construction of said side flanges sloped from above downward and baekward,so that said valve may rest upon and close the same without special counter-weight, and in the special construction of the various parts, as will be hereinafter shown.

Referring to the drawings, A, Fig. 1., is an inksland having a cylindrical ink-well, as shown in Fig. 2, and a circular lip A raised above and surrounding the upper margin of the same. J

B represents my self-closing cover,which is provided with a circular base having lips or shoulders 13' surrounding the same and overlap iing the lip A of the ink -well. This overlapping shoulder 13 is cemented to the base A by plaster-of-parisor other cement interposed between the outer surface of A and the inner surface of B. The hood,which carries the self-closing valve 1), rises above this circular base, and is tapered forward and upward from the rear, preserving its transverse width, so that at 15 it forms a broad transverse apex. From this apex the front is cut away nearly to the bottom or quite down to the circular base of the cover, and at the top of the open front B is hinged the valve D, which closes against the flanges B I) along the sides of B", but may be freely pressed backward to the rear. To the rear side of the valve D, within the hollow hood I3 or above the same, I attach a counter-weight D to cause the said valve to close; but in Fig. 7 I slope these flanges backward and downward, so that the flat valve I) rests by gravity against the same. The valve D is supported by a transverse pivot at its upper part, and those pivots extend laterally through the side wall of the hood, so that the pivot and valve may be readily removed, if desired.

In the opening IF, I show a bottom plate 11", which is sloped downward and backward, and its free edge joins the lateral flanges ll 3, and the valve D closes against all at the same time. I usually place the flanges and the free edge of 1} well within the circle of the inkwell, both to enable the straight valve to have room in the circular ink-well and also to give a deep slope to 13, to assist the pen in its descent and to enable the valve to rest by its margin in or near to the ink-surface, and the free edge of 13 also. This, though not absolutely essential, 1s a valuable feature of my invention. I prefer to use a heavy noncorrotain by gravity alone in place upon the inkwell; but other metal heavily plated with nickel or otherwise protected may be used, cemented to the inkstand.

In Fig. 11 I show an inkstand provided with several. ink-wells A A A and a laterallyelongated hood ll, having openings to correspond to said ink-wells. The rearwardlyswinging valves 1 2 3 1) close these openings and give access to the ink which may differ in color or quality for each. The rod E extends along the apex 13 and all the valves are pi voted thereupon. These openings may front in the same or different directions.

In Fig. 10 I show an inkstand, which may be single or multiple, provided with an inkwell 0 open at the top, upon which rests, and is cemented thereto, if desired, the cover 1%, having openin B in front and rearwardly-swinging valve l), the shoulders 13 3 serving to secure the said eoverB to the top of the ink-well C. From near the bottom of 0 extends a transverse supply-passage c, which communicates with the bottom of the air-tight reservoir 0 on the same level as C, or slightly higher. As the ink-level in 0 tends to sink below the upper margin of the passage 0, a small quantity of air will enter the reservoirC through said passage, and a corresponding quantity of ink will. flow into the ink-well C, raising its level. and closing the passage 0 like a valve, thus maintaiiiiing a constant height in the ink of the well 0, and this is a matter of importance in my invention, though not essential, as my valve is at a definite height and the penholder works best when its passage through the said valve is regulated in required distance, as is done by this device (l c G.

D and the free edge of the sloped bottom 13, as shown in Fig. 1, below the ink-level in the well 0, as in this way the pen-holder not smeared with ink above the pen, as it would be if the valve I) were above the top surface of the ink-well; hence I drop the valve .1) and its bearings, so that the valve swings with its lower margin in the ink-wellU below its upper surface, and the free edge of the sloped bottom ll is also correspondingly sunk in the ink-well G. This also prevents sticking of the valve by the gum contained in the ink, and the clogging of the valve or its seat from dried crusts of ink formed thereupon, and reduces the total height upon the table. In order to have this sloped bottom Ifextend downward into the ink-well, I usually form my metal cover with its broad apex not over the front of the hood, but part way across the diameter of the ink-well (l, and in some cases near its middle, so that a pen presented to the said valve will pass between the sides of the hood through the opening B" and down over the sloped bottom B for a considerable distance before it strikes the valve, thus insuring a natural descent for the pen-holder, and presenting the pen-point very obliquely to the surface of the valve 1); also, if the I prefer to have the lower part of my valve valve tends to adhere to the side flanges and the free edge of the sloped bottom 13, by reason of the valve and sloping bottom B forming an acute angle with each other, the pen will enter this angle and disengage the valve without injury, while if presented directly to the point of a Valve thus struck it would destroy the pen-point. g

If the valve be placed above the ink-well entirely, it will be readily seen that the pen will be liable to present too bluntly against the valve, and the ink upon the sides of the valve and the flanges will smear the penholder, and when the pen is withdrawn will by the valve riding over the pen-holder strip off a new supply to gum the valve to its seat, to form lumps liable to hold the valve partially open and to smear the pen-holder again in its next presentation. I also prefer to use a valve of glass or other vitreous substance, as broadly claimed in my former Letters Patent aforesaid, since the constant jogging of the point of a steel pen against a valve of metal will roughen its surface and very soon cause the pen-point to catch in these roughnesses and break the nib; also, unless made of a non-corrosive metal,-Which is mostly soft as well as costly, the ink will rapidly complete the roughening of the valve which the pen-point commences. Perfect smoothness in permanent use is essential to the best working of this valve; In certain cases, as for mucilage-holders, a softer metal may be used; but I prefer to use glass or the like even then. In Fig. 7 I show an ink-well square in crosssection, (see Fig. 8,) and when I make my inkstand complete as a whole I prefer to use this form; but with ink-wells as used in the market, which are usually cylindrical inside,

I show, describe, and claim the circular hooded cover, as shown in Fig. 1, which has certain advantages of cheapness, and allows the cover to be rotated at will, if desired.

In my former Letters Patent I described and claimed a valve of glass or other vitreous substance and showed the same provided with laterally-projecting pins to support the same in open bearings in the cover, which was formed integral with the body of the inkstand; but such pins are liable to be broken off in use, and my present invention comprises the use of such metallic valve, (see Figs. 3, 4, and 5,) provided with a marginal strip of metal, F, attached to one side of the valve D, and which forms a support for said glass valve not liable to be broken, and easily capable of support in the hood either by the metal projecting laterally from the sides of the Valve or from a pin E attached to the said metal edge and supported in the sides of the hood.

It will be observed that in all my figures the valve is supported in bearings in the sides of the metal hood at the ends of the trans verse apex, and not by a separate hinge within the hood, and attached to the rear side of the cover over the opening B", as in the latter In Fig. 7 I show a solid metal valve pierced at its upper margin, and the pin E is inserted from without through the side of the hood, and thence through the valve and into a socket in the opposite side. The pin E being removed, the valve D will readily drop out, and may be replaced with another or cleaned and again inserted.

The metallic bearing which I prefer to use with my glass valve and the glass valve itself are as follows: The valve D, Figs. 3, 4, and 5, is preferably rectangular in form, the depth being greater than the width and the lower margin bent backward to prevent engagement with any projection upon a pen or pen-holder, and also to serve as a co miter-weight to assist in closing the valve. This counter-weight may be placed at any part of the valve, or, as stated in my former Letters Patent aforesaid, may be above the pivoted support of the valve and above the hood itself, extending backward over the same and attached by a bent extension to the valve itself.

In Fig. 7 I do not use any special counterweight, but incline myflat valve downward and backward,which enables it to rest closed in a sloped position and adds to the acuteness of the angle formed with the sloping bottom 13", and also prevents liability of catching upon the edge thereof (which is rounded) of the pen or pen-holder. The upper part of the glass valve is preferably rounded along the top edge, and near the margin is a transverse groove (1 from side to side, and on the opposite side a similar groove, or a short groove in the center only. I prefer to make the short groove d a little lower than the opposite groove (1 to prevent weakening of the valve, and also tothrow the slotted tube F farther around and flatten the bearing on the front side, which is the one occupied by the groove cl. The upper margin of the valve D is also enlarged somewhat, and the grooves d and d occupy this enlarged part D F is a tube of spring metal, preferably spring-brass nickel-plated, and I usually use a piece of drawn tubing for the purpose, cut to a proper length, and with or without closed ends. This tubeis slightly longer than the width of the valve, and may have a diameter of a quarter of an inch. In this tube, leaving the ends cylindrical and entire, I form a longitudinal slot long enough to permit the insertion of the valve-head and of a corresponding width, except in the middle portion, where 1 form the slot with an inwardly-projecting lip F which serves as a spring. The head of the Valve D beingforced into the slot, the free straight edge F will depended upon for permanent use.

engage in the groove (l entirely across the valve, being adapted accurately thereto, and the spring-lip F will seat itself in the groove (1, and by its spring tension draw the free edge F firmly into the groove (1, so that the tube cannot be removed without rotating it upon the head of the valve against the spring F with considerableforce, so asto disengage the said lip F from the said groove (Z. The tube then may be readily pulled off.

\Vhilc I use the two grooves d and d for greater security, the spring-lip F may rest against the face of the valve or beneath the swell at the upper margin thereof; but I prefer to use both grooves, as shown. The projecting ends F F of the slotted tube F serve as supports for the valve, seated in bearings B B of the hood B, which bearings may be open, as shown in Fig. 9, or closed, as shown in Fig. 2.

I do not always use the projecting ends F F as valve-supports, but sometimes use a slottedtube F as short as or shorter than the width of the valve and pass a pin transversely through the tube F, supporting it in the sides of the hood, as shown in Figs. 3 and 11. The valve shown in Fig. 7 is preferably of metal with a fire-glazed or enameled surface of vitreous material; but sometimes a hard metal may be used for cheapness, but is not to be Aspring may be used to assist in closing the valve; but this also cannot be depended upon, and a counter-weight or sloped valve is in every way preferable.

At D, Fig. 3, I show my valve D provided with a notch in its lower margin, so that when used as a self-closing cover for a mucilagestand or the like the handle of the brush may. be allowed to project through this notch when the valve is closed, and the sides of the said notch will serve as a convenient stripper for the surplus mucilage upon the brush. A mucilage-holder like Fig. 10 is very useful with my invention.

I do not rigidly confine myself to the specific construction herein shown and described, but vary the same to suit special requirements, such as would be suggested by a mechanic skilled in the art, without departing from the principles of my invention, as herein shown, described, and claimed.

Having now described my invention,whatI claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

1. As an article of manufacture,aself-closing cover for ink-wells, consisting of the 1101- low metal hood B, open beneath and adapted to be attached to the margin of an ink-well, having flanged opening B in front and a pivoted valve D, adapted to close from the rear within said hood against the flanged sides of said opening B", said valve supported in bearings in the sides of said hood B, substantially as described.

2. As an articleof manufacture, the hollow metal hood B, expanded and open beneath to cover an inlowell, and tapered above to form a transverse apex with a sloped rear side, said hood vertically open in front, and a rearwardly-swinging valve pivoted to the upper margin of said opening B", said opening having flanged sides, and said valve adapted to be swung back against said sloped rear side of said cover and to close against said flan 3 B by a counter-weight attached thereto, and said hood B havin external overlapping shoulder B, adapted to embrace the projecting neck of an ink-well, substantially as described.

3. In combination with inkstand A,havi11g ink-Well C, with circular aperture and lip A, the self-closing cover having circular base with overlapping shoulders B B, adapted to embrace said lip A and be cemented or otherwise attached thereto, said cover having central hood B, open beneath and tapered above to a broad transverse valveseat, and flanged opening B together with valve D, pivoted to the upper margin of said opening B", closed against flanges B B by a counter-weight attached. in rear of said valve, and adapted to be swung backward in said hood B by pressure applied to the front thereof and close antomatically against said flanges B B, substantially as described.

4. As an article of manufacture, the hollow hooded cover B, open beneath, having opening B in front, and flanges B B, shoulders B B around the base thereof, the whole formed integral, and the valve D, attached to the upper margin of said opening B, adapted to be swung to the rearin said hood, closed automatically against flanges B B" by a counter-weight upon said valve D, said valve supported by bearings in the sides of said hood B, the whole adapted to be attached to an ink-well, substantially as and for the purposes described.

5. In combination with the ink-well O, the

hooded cover B, separate therefrom and adapted to be fitted thereto, said hood having open front B opening beneath into said ink-well, flanges B B", and realwvardly-swinging pivoted valve D, supported above said .7

opening B adapted to close against said flanges B" '3, said valve extended downward below the lower margin of hood B and adapted to be swung to the rear within said ink-well, substantially as and for the purposes described.

(3. In combination with the inkstand A, having ink-well C, the separate metal cover having shoulders B 3 to support the said cover upon the margins of said ink-well, hollow hood B, open into said ink-well, having opening B and flanges B B, transverse bot tom part B of said opening B, sloped downward and backward into the concavity of said ink-well, the free edge thereof continuous with said flanges B" 3, together with rearwardly-swinging valve D, adapted to close automatically against said flanges B B and the free edge of said bottom B, said valve D hung with its lower part within the concavity of said ink-well and forming with the sloped surface an acute angle, substantially as described.

7. As an article of manufacture, a self-closing cover for inkstands, consisting of the hollow hood B, cast in a single piece, except the valve, of white-metal or other material unaffected by the acids of ink, open and expanded beneath, having shoulders B B, adapted to support the same upon the margins of an ink well, tapered above to a transversely-flat apex, said cover having opening B in the front thereof, side flanges B B within said opening B downwardly-sloping extended bottom B, and transversely-pivoted fiat valve D, supported along the flattened apex B of said hood in hearings in the sides of said hood B, and adapted to be swung backward within said hollow hood when pressed against from the front through said opening B and to be closed by gravity against said flanges B B and the free edge of said sloped bottom when said pressure has been removed, the whole constructed separately from and independent of said ink-Well and adapted to be applied thereto for temporary or permanent use, substantially as described.

8. In combination with the hood B, having self-closing valve D, operated by the insertion or withdrawal of a pen-point through the opening B, the inkstand A A having ink-well 0, opening vertically above and adapted to support the said hood B upon the marginal surfaces thereof, the lateral supply-reservoir G, and the small connecting-passage 0, connecting the bottom portions of O and C, said reservoir 0 air-tight above and adapted to maintain a uniform level of ink-surface in the said ink-well O, substantially as and for the purposes herein shown and described.

9. In combination with the pneumatic inksupplylng reservoir 0, an open ink-well O and connecting-passage c, the hood B, covering said ink-well O and supported by the margins thereof, said hood having supportlng-shoulders B B, opening B in front thereof, flanged sides B B, and sloping bottom B together with rearwardly-swinging valve D, pivoted at its upper margin to the apex B of said hood B, and adapted to close automatically against said flanges B B and said sloped bottom B and close said opening B substantially as described.

10. Au inkstand having a pneumatic inksupplying reservoir 0, open vertical ink-well C, and passage 0, connecting the lower parts of C and O, in combination with a self-closing valve and cover B D, fixed at a definite height above the ink-surface of said ink-well C, said ink-level made constant in said inkwell by automatic supply from said reservoir 0' through said passage 0, substantially as described.

11. In combination with the hollow hoodB, expanded and open beneath, tapered and transversely flattened to an apex B adapted to be applied to and supported by the margins of an open ink-wellO, and provided with opening B in the front of said hood, the flanges B B along the sides of B said flanges inclined to the rear from above downward, and the self-closing valve D, pivoted at E transversely along the said apex, and adapted to rest by gravity in an inclined position against the said sloped flanges B B and close the said opening B substantially as described.

12. In combination with the glass valve D, the slotted metal tube F, adapted to embrace the free upper margin of said valve, said valve securely fixed therein, the free ends F F of said tube F, cylindrical in cross-section and projecting laterally from the sides of said valve, adapted to form supports for the same, and the bearings B B in hood B, substantially as described.

13. In a self-closing ink-well cover, the valve D, of glass or the like, having transverse grooves d (1 near the margin and on opposite faces thereof, in combination with the slotted metal tube F, having opposite edges F F .along said slot adapted to engage with said grooves d cl and securely hold said valve in place in said slotted metal tube and form a metallic support for the same, substantially as described.

14. In combination with the valve D, having transverse grooves cl (1' on opposite faces and near one of the free edges thereof, the slotted tube F, adapted to support the said valve in bearings, having edge F along said slot adapted to engage with groove d entirely across said valve, and the spring-lip F projecting from the middle of the opposite edge of said slot, said spring-lip adapted to engage with said groove cl and by its spring tension force the opposite edge F into groove d and securely hold the said slotted tube F in place upon said valve D, substantially as described.

15. In a self-closing inkstand-cover, in combination with the glass valve D, transversely grooved at (Z and d upon opposite faces, the slotted spring-metal clamping-tube F, adapted to embrace the free margin of said valve and engage along the edge of said slot with one of said grooves and prevent displacement thereof, together with pivoted valve-supports attached to said slotted tube and pivoted in said cover B, substantially as described.

16. In combination with a flat glass valve having a transverse groove near its margin, a slotted spring-metal tube adapted to engage by one of the edges of said slot in said groove to prevent displacement thereof, and held in place by the pressure of the opposite edge of said slot against the opposite face of said valve, said slotted tube adapted to form a metal support for said valve and to be supported in bearings to allow motion of said valve thereupon, substantially as and for the purposes herein shown and described.

17. In combination with the hollow hood B, open beneath and adapted to be supported upon the margins of the open well 0 and form a cover for the same, said hood having opening 1 in front, a self-closing valve pivoted at its upper margin within said hood, adapted to swing to the rear upon said pivot by 1n-essure applied to the front of said valve and close automatically against flanged sides ll i of opening 3 when said pressure ha been removed, said valve having a notch D in its lower margin, adapted to give room for and permit withdrawal of a mucilage-brush or the like from said well C when said valve is closed, substantially as described.

18. In a self-closing ink-well cover B, the hollow metal hood open beneath into the ink well 0, and having opening I3 in :front provided with flanged sides 13 5", said hood expanded beneath, flattened and brought to a broad transverse apex above, said cover B extended to said apex 13 and closed behind, in combination with a rearwardly-swinging valve D, supported in hearings in the sides of said cover B, and adapted to close from the rear against said flanged sides B" ll, said valve 1) elongated from above downward and having its lower edge D bent backward, said edge I) adapted to be swung to and fro beneath the surface of the ink in said ink-well (l, and close against the rear side of the flanges B" B" and the rear edge of slopedbottom B of open front 13, said rear edge extended down within said ink-well into or near the surface of the ink therein, substantially as and for the purposes described.

10. As an article of mani'ifaeture, a heavy cast u 'hito-metal cover l3, provided with conical flattened hood open beneath, and open front, and having valve I) supportedtherein,

and shoulders 13 B, the whole adapted to rest by its own weight upon ink-Well (.3, substa-ntially as described.

20. In combination with the inkstand A, having a verticallysunl: inkwell (l in the upper face thereof, the hollow hooded castmetal cover .13, extended over said ink-space, having shoulders 13 3, adapted to rest by gravity upon the sides of said ink-well open beneath, and having flanged opening 13 in front, said opening vertical or inclined and in rear of the front margin of said ink-well opening, and sloped bottom I3, extending downward and backward from the front of said opening 13, the rear edge thereof continuous with said flanged sides 13 3, together with a valve supported above said opening l3", extending downward into said ink-well (7, adapted to close by a counter-Weight attached to the rear side thereof against said flanges l B and said free lower edge of said slo md bottom 13, the whole constructed substantially as and for the purposes herein shown and described.

21. In a self-closing inkstand-eover having hood l3 open beneath and opening I! in front of said hood, the glass valve I), in combination with a metallic strip attached to one margin thereof and adapted to form a pivot or support for the same, substantially as described.

IbAAC W. IIE'YSINGER.

Witnesses:

J. 'L. llnvsmcnn, M. l FENNINGER. 

